1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a driving force control apparatus for a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in a vehicle that has a navigation device installed, a driving force control apparatus for a vehicle is provided so that driving force control can be conducted in association with road condition data provided by the navigation device. In this case, for example, when it is detected that a vehicle is approaching a corner (curve), and when specified conditions that are based on the operations of a driver are satisfied, corner control for decelerating the vehicle, such as downshifting, is conducted as the drive force control. Next, the upper limit shifting speed is determined, and it is set up so that a shifting speed (a shifting speed on the high speed side, a shifting speed with a small shift ratio, and the like) that is higher than the upper limit shifting speed is not selected.
In this case, the driving force control apparatus for a vehicle carries out calculations based on various data such as the road condition data, vehicle speed and accelerator opening that are provided by the navigation device, creates data for control, and conducts corner control based on the data for control.
Also, recently, with the advent of continuously variable transmissions that can continuously control the shift ratio, a driving force control apparatus for a vehicle that controls the shift ratio of the continuously variable transmission and conducts corner control has been proposed (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-222055). In the driving force control apparatus for a vehicle, when it is detected that the vehicle is approaching a corner based on the road condition data that is provided by the navigation device, and the driver releases the accelerator pedal (closes the accelerator), the shift ratio is increased, in other words, the continuously variable transmission is controlled so that it down shifts.
Since the intention of a driver to decelerate when approaching a corner is detected due to accelerator operations by the driver, it is possible to produce a deceleration force caused by engine braking that is larger than usual, the driving force control that coincides with the accelerator operations by the driver can be conducted, and the drivability for the vehicle can be improved.